WRITING is a means by which we produce and share knowledge. In the knowledge economy, people who have mastered the art of writing set the agenda for societal discussions and determine the direction and pace of change. Much of what is discussed on radio and TV is gleaned from newspaper articles, journals, reports produced by government agents and civil society or books.
Writing is no more a specialty for secretaries, journalists or professional authors. It has become a prerequisite for meaningful participation in all spheres of human discipline. Listen to Professor Kenneth Davis of Indiana University:
“In this knowledge economy, writing is the chief value-producing activity. But you may not be writing as well as you could. That may be because you think writing requires a special talent.
In fact, writing is a process that can be managed, like any other business process. If you can manage people, money, or time—then you can manage your writing.
And you can profit from the result.”
Yes, you can profit from the result of sharpening your writing skills. And no matter your training or your field of work, it is an imperative that you learn to write and write well. How can you write and write well? How can you write in a manner that makes sense to your readers?
CONCEPT
WHETHER it’s a report, letter, book, SMS, an e-mail or essay, every write-up must encapsulate an idea. If you are not clear about what you want to project, how can you write to make sense to your readers?
Writing is not just a matter of putting words together on a piece of paper or a computer screen. Writing is the use of words to convey meaning. Before you draw your laptop, tablet or pen to scribble something, clarify the idea in your mind.
CONTEXT
WITHIN my scope of activities, I do write-ups for academic, corporate and personal purposes. When it involves academics, my diction, tone and even formatting are different from corporate and personal write-ups. For instance, I do not make use of first person pronouns when I do academic write-ups. Similarly, in corporate write-ups, I use a very formal tone which contradicts the cordial tone I use when I am writing informal stuff.
You can identify the proper context by asking yourself the following set of questions:
1. What do I want to achieve with this write-up?
2. Who am I primarily writing this for?
3. Who else is likely to read what I am writing?
These questions will help you to define the scope and boundaries of what you write. A teacher who prepares lesson notes for students will definitely write in a context different from a note meant for the head of school. So will a man who seeks to win the heart of a lady use a romantic tone to draft a note for her. Understanding context is the key to communicating effectively through writing.
CLARITY
THE objective of getting the context right in any writing endeavour is to achieve clarity. Clarity ensures that the concept of the writer is understood by the reader in exactly the same way that the writer intends it to be. Remember, in writing it is better to imprint your ideas on the minds and hearts of readers than to merely impress them with your words or style without any understanding.
Don’t forget that unlike speaking, you will not have the benefit of physical presence to explain yourself when something is not clear in what you have written. Ensure that your choice of words, style and tone of writing combine to make your work meaningful to at least your core target.
CREDIBILITY
ONE crucial thing writers do not leave to chance is the authenticity of the material they produce. Authenticity preserves the integrity of your work and strengthens it to stand scrutiny. How do you make your work authentic?
1. Be an example of what you write about. For instance, journalists who write to expose corruption in their countries must ensure that they themselves are upright and incorruptible. If you write a medical journal that cautions people about the dangers of tobacco and nicotine, you must not ever be seen smoking. If your lifestyle contradicts your writings, nobody will take what you write seriously.
2. You must also cover your bases through intensive research. Good research will help you to know different faces of your concept and enable you to deliver a balanced output.
3. Be humble enough to admit that you don’t know it all. Therefore, do well to acknowledge all your sources of information. Failure to do that will make you liable for plagiarism. And if you must know, plagiarism is the highest form of intellectual dishonesty.
Having a credible script does not mean everybody will hail your work. It just means that nobody can discredit you. Any disagreement or reservation will simply be a matter of opinion.
© 2012 Terry Mante
Personal Development Network (PEDNET)
Accra, Ghana
E:: terrymante@live.com
T:: +233.268.816.545
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